The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-02-23
Dining At Delmonico's.

happened 10 20 into DeImonico's YES
terday in order 70 find out what kind Of
a dinner one could get fo- eight or ten
dollars plate The party was to be 1ne
ola dozen gentlemen. and. aftersitisfying
myself that for ten dollars a plate there
would be quite enough 70 eat and to
drink TO make every one Of the party re-
member the dinner for week. I fell in
% conversation with the steward Of the
house - 70 the number Of dinners Of this
kind which his establishment furnishes.
II viii amaze most pepoie 10 kn " that
il is the reception during the winter sea
soa when there ara not four or five pri-
vate dinner parties given every night in
the up stairs room AT DelmonicG's. at
prices ranging all the way from six dol
lars 70 fifty dollars a plate The larger
the party the more reasonable the terms.
The average price i about :, which
includes three OF four kinds of wines and
cigars There have been dinners which
cost more than 500 per plate, but the
money was spent upon elaborate presents
20 be put at each plate, instead Of upon
tie delicacies ofthe season, OF rather not
Of the season, for the aim III such dinners
Is TO astonish the guests by setting before
them things that they rarely see IN every
day life The Deimonico steward Is
something Of a genius IN the way of run
ming up the cost OF 4 dinner without en-
dangering the life Of the diner. but even
he Is sometimes at the end of his resoUr-
ces and has to he helped along by MS
guests. 1t l. told that one evening be
was horrihed AT ii Tremendous crash Of
glassware and china N one Of the rooms.
and rushed UP expecting 10 End that
some Of the young men at "a select party
of twenty had been murdered Instead
Of this II was merely little amusement
at the expense ofthe glassware and the
young fool who gave the dinner. the
bin had proved signifcant-onIya about
so per plate-thaf all the glassware mad
been smashed in ogier 70 bring It upto u
respectful figure
In confidence the steward informs me
that a- a matter Of fact. one gets quite ss
good a dinner for SO as for $50. for thar
the very number of dishes offered TO the
guests at the most reckless Of these enter
tainments prevents anything ike thetru
appreciation Of their Inerits.-The Cham
Der Of Commerce gives yearly dinner,
for which II pays $50 a plate, but the
instructions are that quality rather than
quantity shall be considered. and there
Is no dinner better than that which the
Chamber offers its guests. Just a. pres
ent the season for these little dinner par
ties has reached its height, and there Is
considerable rivalry between Delmoniec's
and Hoffman Houseand the Hotel Bruins
wick, as to which one shall receive the
cream OF this business For very large
dinners the first named seem N have the
preference. but for dinners Of les than q
hundred covers the other houses are
sharp competitors For SI0 a plate was
offered the following dinner, given in a
luxurious private parlor an / with every
possible elegance Of service: Oysters.
soup, pates, salmon. lamb, vegetables of
several kinds. roast beef chops, French
peas, water ice punch. red head duck
salads. ices. fruit, coffee and the follow
ing wines for fourteen persons Seven
bottles Of Sauterne, two bottles Of sherry,
six bottles of Bordeaux. eight bottles Of
champagne, six bottles of Apollinaris
water and liqueu--. in all thirty bot
ties.